Brian McClellan's New Powder Mage Novel is Out!Ovjeren akaunt

I would love to see a @thegrandtour crew documentary (from one of the trip specials), where they show what the crew has to deal with to film the show.

Some day I hope for millions of people to talk about my books with the same enthusiasm @RealBobMortimer talks about Fuji 9.

I watched Dr. No again tonight, and I'm always struck by how much more grounded in reality it is than the rest of the series. Even the monologuing villain did so because he planned on recruiting Bond, and as soon as he realizes that won't happen he has him tortured.

Of course Ian Flemming was involved in all of this in WWII, which is relatively common knowledge. But the context of it all (from the book I mentioned) was what really hit home for me.

The thuggish gentleman protagonist, the drinking and womanizing, the readiness to face torture and death, the maneuvering of allies and enemies among the locals. Even the homemade gadgets and use of cutting edge, often experimental technology. It's all straight from real life.

So in January I listened to the audiobook of Churchhill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, about Britain's use of spies/sabatage/assassination in WWII. The James Bond franchise makes SO MUCH MORE sense as a cultural phenomenon in that context.

Listening to the new @HardcoreHistory and now I want Desperate Housewives of Ancient Macedon.

"Bond, we need you to bring down this tech maniac who threatens to destroy the world's student debt." "...pass."

He still drives a really nice car but he secretly hates himself for it and wishes there were more sexy electric options.

"I'll have a chicken salad. Free range. Not caged."

He refuses to use Q's gadgets because "Google is listening."

None of his clothes *quite* fit because he orders them all from Amazon.

I imagine he'd have given up drinking after a bad experience in college, but he's a little bit high all the time.

Man, what happens when we get our first millennial James Bond? Can the world handle a character with that much existential dread and student debt?